Parakalein

I was our jogging with a friend this morning.  We talked about everything from Apple Strudel to God.  He is from Germany and was up for a visit.  He promised to make "apple strudel" from scratch just the way his mother did when he was a boy.

We talked about how people need encouragement and challenge to excel.  We shared stories of people who had great potential but never developed because they could not risk with courage nor receive encouragement
to face difficulties and set backs and emerge better and stronger.  I reflected, Jesus did that when he told the disciples that when he would leave them, they would not be alone.  They would do greater works than he had done.  Jesus telling the disciples that they would exceed and excel beyond their master if they would only believe.

We sell ourselves and God short when we let failure define us, difficulties overtake us, and disaster shake us.  In all things we are more than conquerors if we just perennially remember that the encourager always sees what we can become even eclipsing His work and witness.  The wonder of extravagant encouragement propels us all too the wonder of Excelling.  Extravagant encouragement leads to extravagant excellence.

Be in wonder.  Live in Wonder. What a witness.